Conveying apparatus



Au 14, 1945. OD Y 2,382,194

CONVEYING AiPARATUS Filed Dec. 23, 19 13 (Sheets-Sheet 3g g 23 INVHVTOR;V

Bydza M A TTORNE Y5 Aug. 14, 1945'. o. w. WOOD 2,382,194

CONVEYING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 23, 1943 s Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

- ATTORNEYS Aug. 14, o w OD CONVEYING, APPARATUS Filed Dec. 23, 1943 3Sheets-Sheet 3 lllrlllllll INVENTOR.

A TTORNEY- Patented Aug. 14, 1945 M.'C. 'HoyandlCL'I. Knecht, copartnersdoing business as ;The Plating Products 400., Newark,

NHL

Application December 23, 1943, Serial No. 515,378

Claims. (01. 212-431) 'This' invention relates to apparatus for handlingarticles which are to besubjected to a series of treatments, as, forexample,;by being'immersed successively in a number of difierent baths.More particularly, the invention is concerned with a novel apparatus of,the type referred to, which is largely automatic in operation andfunctions to convey the articles to successive stations where thearticles remain for selected periods of time, without 'manualintervention beyond the supplying of articles to be treatedto theapparatus and the removal of treated articles therefrom. The apparatusmay be "employed merely for automatic conveying to a series of stations,with the articles conveyed pausing at the stations, or the apparatus maybe used to eifect' suchconveying together with the lowering and raisingof the articles during the pauses,as, for example, for the purpose ofcausing the articles to enter treating baths. In the latter case, theapparatus may be advantageously employed in the carrying on of picklingor similar'treatments preliminary to electroplating and, as in such use,the full benefits of the invention are afforded, an embodiment of theinventionsui'tabl'e for automatic pickling willbe illustrated and-described in detail for purposes of explanation;

The new apparatus in a form adaptedfor automatic pickling includes oneor more motor driven hoists movable along a track extendingover tankscontaining the treating solutions. Each hoist is provided with means forattachment thereto of an article or a container for a number ofarticlesand the hoist motor may be operated through a reversing switch to raiseand lower the 'att ache'd 1 article or hold it stationary. Electricalmeans, such as solenoids, on each hoist controlthe reversing switch ofthat hoist.- -A traveling element, such'as a chain, moves along thetrack, or, if desired, two chains maybe employed, the chains moving inthe same or opposite directions at the same or different speeds. Eachhois't is provided with electrically operable means for connecting it tothe traveling element, the connecting means being selectively operablein case two elements are employed. The motor, the

switch operating means, and the, connecting means are supplied withcurrent through a dis- Lil tributor and a program device is ,providedioucontrolling the current to the switch operating and connecting means.With this construction, the hoist functions under control or its programdevice to advance an .i 'ticle fr om a supply and delivery station to anumber of tanks arrangedin sequence and, at each tank, the hoist stops,lowers the article into the tank fora selected time, raises the articleout. of the tank, and conveys the, article to the nexttank. where thecycle. is repeated. Whenthe hoist 'returns to [the first station, thehoist stops and lowers the treated article to a delivery floor, wherethe attendant removes the articles and attaches anuntreated one,whereupon the hoistraises the article oil? the floor and proceeds to thefirst tank.

For a better understand'ng of theinvention,

reference may be made to the accompanyingdrawings, in which .Fig. 1 is aplan view of a pickling apparatus constructed in accordance with theinvention;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view, with parts removed, of the apparatusshown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of one of the hoistsemployed in theapparatus; Fig, 4 is a view similar angles thereto;

Fig. 5 is a se 3;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a part of the connecting means employed on thehoist; J f

Fig. 7 is a view in elevation with partsbroken away of the, programdevice; j I 1 Fig. 8 is a sectional ,view on the line 8 ,-8iof i -7;. II, Fig. 9 isa viewin' elevation with parts broken away of the currentdistributing mechanism; and Fig. 10 is a diagram of the circuitsemployed in the apparatus. r j. The pickling apparatus illustrated inthedrawings comprises, a group of tanks 20, 2|, andlz'i arranged in aline, and mounted on a suitable support. These tanks contain solutionsinwhich, the articles to be treatedare immersedand the baths maybe anacid bath, a water bath. l d a cyanide bath or othe baths, as desired. 7A track 23 is mounted on a framework including standards Zfiat asuitable height .abovethe tanks and, in the construction shown, thetrack is made of an I,-,-.beam'and it includes astraight stretchdirectly over the row of tanks, semicircular end sections, .and .asecond straight stretch parallel to the first. "I'hestandards '24 at theendsfo'f the row of tanks are connected by cross beam 25 and within thetrackat'ea c i end and below the plane thereof are a pair oi: sprocketwheels 26, 2'Iaround which are trained chains 28, 29. The pair ofsprocket wheels .at eachLend to Figs as; right ctional' view on the line5 fof of the track is mounted on ashaft 30 journ'aled is fast'and theother issloose on the shaftFTh'e shafts 30 extend into gear boxes 3|,3|a containing gearing connecting the shafts to a motor 33 and the setsof gears in the boxes'3l and 3|a are such that the driven sprockets atopposite ends of the rack rotate in the same direction at differentspeeds, so that one of the chains moves more rapidly than the other.

A plurality of hoists, generally designated 34, are mounted'for movementalong the track and, in the construction illustrated, there are threesuch hoists, but any other suitable number may be employed, as desired.Each hoist is suspended by a rod 35 from a trolley, which includes apair of rollers 36 running on top of the lower flange of beam 23 onopposite sides of the central web and the rollers have axles mounted ina U- shaped member 31 tp which rod 35 is attached. Each hoist includes amotor 38 which drives a sprocket wheel 39 through suitable reductiongearing and a chain 40 is trained about the sprocket wheel and has oneend secured to the motor casing. The free end of the chain is raised orlowered, depending on the directionof rotation of motor 38, and it isprovided with a hook 4| by which an article or a container for articlesto be treated may be attached to the chain.

The direction of rotation of the hoist motor is controlled by areversing switch 42 attached to the motor casing and operable by a lever.43. The ends of the lever are connected to rods 44 which are, in turn,connected to cores in solenoids 45 mounted on a bracket 46 dependingfrom the motor casing, and upon energization of one or the other of thesolenoids, the lever 43 may be running of the motor, there areprovidedtwo limit arms 41 pivotally. mounted on a bracket 48 on themotor housing and these arms have openings through which the slack andload stretches of chain 46 pass. The arms 41 extend beneath the lever 43and normally hang down in the position illustrated in Fig. 3 in whichthey are inef fective to interfere with the swinging of the lever 43 bythe solenoids. On each stretch of the chain, there is adjustably mounteda disc 49 against which bears a spring 50 encircling the chain andsupporting a disc When the chain is being taken up or let out byrotation of the sprocket wheel 39, overrunning is prevented by thelifting of one of the limit arms 4| by disc 5| on the risingstretch ofthe chain. As the arm i moves up, it engages lever 43'and restores it tothe horizontal position in which the switch is in neutral and thecurrent supply of the rotor is cut off. Stops 52 on the motor casingengageable by j the limit arms prevent those arms from rising tomove-lever 43 past neutral position and the springs 50 on which discs 5|are supported prevent injury to the parts, in the event that the chaincontinues to move after the effective limit arm has engaged its stop.

The hoist may be connected to one or the other chains is of the duplextype and the core of each solenoid lies in alignment with one row oflinks of its chain. The core is provided with a pointed end 59 which,upon energization of the solenoid, enters a link in in its chain andthus connects the chain to the locking device so that the chain advancesthe hoist along the track.

Current is supplied for the operation of each hoist through a cable 60which leads from the hoist to a current distributing device, generallydesignated 6|. 'This distributor is mounted centrally of the track on asuitable cross member of the framework and it includes a fixed verticalhollow shaft 62 on which are mounted insulating spacingdiscs 63. Aconducting ring 64 is seated in a channel in each disc and each ring isconnected to a conductor 65 which extends upward swung to operate theswitch. To prevent overthrough the hollow shaft 62 and enters a junctionbox 66 where the conductor is connected to a conductor in a cable 61.

The horizontal leg of an L-shaped arm 68 is mounted on a ball bearing 69at the lower end of the shaft 62 and the vertical leg of arm 68 carriesa number of spring pressed contacts 10 engaging the respective rings 64.The contacts are connected to conductors 1| within a cable 60 and, asthe hoist to which cable 60 leads, moves around the track, the pull ofthe cable causes arm 68 to swing around shaft 62 as an axis. During thismovement of arm 68, the contact members 10 continuously make contactwith rings 64 so that the supply ofcurrent to the hoist may bemaintained at all times. In the apparatus illustrated, the distributorincludes slip rings and contacts for only one hoist, but if additionalhoists are employed, the distributor will include a set of slip ringsand their contactsand an arm 68 for each hoist and these parts may bemounted one above the other on the same shaft 62.

Current is supplied to the slip rings of the distributor for each hoistbya program device which may be mounted at any suitable point relativeto .40 the track. Each such program device includes'a synchronous clockmotor 12 mounted on a frame 13 and driving a shaft 14 extending into theinterior of the frame. Shaft 14 is connected through a quick detachableslot and pin driving connection 15 to'shaft 16 terminating in a hardenedpoint 11 seated ina socket bearing member of chains 28, 29 by a lockingdevice which com- 18 attached to frame 13. -A plurality of discs 19 ofinsulating material are mounted on shaft 16 and each disc is providedwith a channel containing a metal control disc 86. Each of the controldiscs, although shown as circular in form, is in reality provided with,various high and low peripheral portions, which engage a spring contactmember 8 I mounted on frame 13. Contact member 8| cooperates with afixed contact 82 on the frame and is movable into engagement therewithby a high spot on its control disc. 'There are fourcontrol discs on eachshaft 16 and the two upperdiscs control the flow of current,respectively, to solenoids 45 which actuate the reversing switch 42 ofthe hoist motor, while the two-lower control discs of the programdevice, respectively, control the current to solenoids 55, which operatethe means for connecting the hoist to the. chains. The arrangement ofthe high and low spots on the peripheral portion of .each disc dependson the cycle of operations of the hoist and, when a change in the cycleis to be made, the shaft 16 with its control discs is removed from frame13 and a new set with control discs of appropriate shape is substituted.The use of the quickv detachable driving connection 15 facilitates thesubstitution of one shaft 16 for another.

As illustrated in the circuit diagram, currentfor theoperation of theapparatus is supplied from a source through a line 83 which is connectedto a branch circuit 84 leading to motor 12 of the program device andincluding a switch 85 at a central control station. The motor I! isconnected to a common return 88. Line 83 supplies another branch circuit81 which leads to motor 33 for driving the chains and this circuitincludes a switch 88 at the control station, by means of which motor 33may be started and stopped. The motor is connected through line 88 tothe common return 86. Y

Line 83 is connected through a branch 98 to each of the movable contacts8| of the program device and the fixed contacts of the device areconnected by lines 9| to four different slip rings 84 in thedistributor. These slip rings are connected to the respective solenoidsl and and the solenoids are connected to a common return line 92connected to another of the slip rings of the distributing device, thisring being in turn connected to the common return 86. Branch 98 alsosupplies a slip ring of the distributor device which is connected by aline 83 to one of the terminals of the reversing switch 42, the otherter- .minal being connected by a line 84 to the common return 82 fromthe solenoids.

With this arrangement, upon the closing of switches 85 and 88, theprogram device begins to function and the chains begin to move along thetrack. As the control discs of the program device rotate, they closetheir contacts in the selected order, with the result that the hoistmotor is caused to raise or lower the article attached to its chain asdetermined by the condition of the reversing switch. Also, the hoist isconnected to one or the other of the chains and disconnected therefromby solenoids 55 at times determined by the program :device. While theapparatus may function wholly automatically, an

occasion sometimes arises when the attendant may wish to operate thehoist motor to-raise or lower the object or to connect the hoist to oneor the other of the chains to move the hoist along the track in a mannerdifferent from that determined by the program device. For this purpose,

four switches 85 are provided at the control stati'on and these switchesare connected in circuits 98 in parallel with the circuits supplied bybranch 88 and including the movable terminals 8|, Accordingly, althoughthe terminals 8|, 82 controlling the flow to a particular solenoid 45,55 may be Open, the attendant maysupply current to'that solenoid byactuation of the proper switch 85 and cause the solenoid to beenergized. The switches 85 are preferably held open by spring action, 50that they cannotbe accidentally left closed.

The apparatus illustrated may be used in the pickling of single articlesof considerable size, which are attached directly to the hooks ll of thehoists or it may be used in the treatment of a large quantity of smallarticles carried in bass kets 9T suspended from the hoists. In eachinstance, the program device is so setup that, at a particular pointalong the track which serves as a supply and delivery station, eachhoist is brought to rest by disconnection of the hoist from thetraveling chains 28, 29 by deenergization of its solenoids 55. While thehoist is at rest, its motor may be actuated through the reversing switchto lower the basket, for example, t'o'a receiving floor and theattendant then disconnects the basket and hooks on a new one. The periodof rest provided by the program device is sufficiently long to enablethe attendant to perform these operations and, when the newbaskethas-beenattached, the hoist motor is operated to raise the basket freeof the floor. At about the same time, the hoist is connected to the slowchain by'en- .ergization of one ofits solerioids55and-the hoist isadvanced until it arrives over the first of the treating tanks. At'thatpoint, the hoist is disconnectedfrom the traveling chain so asto'come to rest and the appropriate reversing switch-solenoid isenergized to cause the hoistmotor to lower the basket into the tank andthen come to rest. The'basket remains in the tank for a period of timedetermined by the program device and, after that interval, the hoistmotor is supplled with current to cause it to raise the basket outof thetank. At about the same time,.therhoist isconnected to the slow chainandadvanced over the second tank where the cycle of operations isrepeated. After immersion of the basket and its contents in the secondtank; the hoist again raises the basket and carries it to the third tankfor im synchronized that the hoists will function-without interferencewith one another. The timing is such that the attendant can keep thehoists in use without extended periods "of-idle time and inzthe use ofthe apparatus, the'attendant ls n'ot'requird 'to exercise any controlover the individual h'o'ists.

If necessary, however, he'c'an stop' the program device of anyhoist byopening its switch',whereupon the hoist remains at rest'until itsProgram device is started again.

'I claim: a

1. An apparatus for handling articles to be treated which'comprise'sa'track, a'hoist'mov'able along the trackand providedwith meansfor'attachment to an a'rticl'eja' motoron the hoist operable to raiseandlower the attachment means and article, means for supplyingcurrent' tothe motor throughout the movement of the" hoist along th -track, areversing switch on the hoist for controlling the supply of current to"the motor to cause it to operate for raising and lowerin electricalmeans onthe hoist for operating. the switch, a traveling element movablealong the track, means on the hoist for connecting .the hoist to theelement to be moved along the track thereby, and program means forcontrolling theswit'ch operating and the connecting means. 2. Anapparatus for handling articles tobe treated which comprises a track, ahoist movable along the track and provided with means for attachment toan article, a motor on the hoist operable to raise and lower'the'attachmentmeans and article, means for supplying current to the motorthroughout the movement ofv the hoist along the track, a reversingswitch on the hoistfor controlling the supply of current'to the motor tocause it to operate for raising and lowering, electrical meanson thehoist for operating the-switch, separate means for moving the hoistalongthe track at different speeds, and program means for controlling theoperation of the hoist moving and switch operating means.,,1 '1,

3. An apparatus for handling articles, to;,;be

treated which comprises a track, a hoist movable along the track andprovided with means for attachment to an article, a motor on the hoistoperable to raise and lower the attachment means and article, means forsupplying current .to the motor throughout 'the movement of the hoistalong the track, a reversing switch on the hoist for controlling thesupply of current to the motor to cause it to operate for raising andlowering, electrical means on the hoist for operating the switch, .atraveling element movable along the track, electrically operated meanson the hoist for connecting the hoist to the element to be moved aloncontrolling the supply of current to the motor to cause it to operatefor raising and lowering,.electrical means on the hoist for operatingthe switch, a pair of traveling elements movable along the track withdifierent motions, electrical means for connecting the hoist to thetraveling elements selectively for movement along the track therewith,and program means for controlling the operation of the connecting meansand the'switch operating means.

5. 'An apparatus for handling articles to. be treated which comprises atrack, a hoist movable along the track and provided with means forattachment to an article, a motor on the hoist operable to raise andlower the attachment means and article, a rotary current distributingdevice disposed adjacent the track and provided with a plurality ofdistributing elements, connections between the motor terminals and apair of the distributing elements, areversing switch in the connectionsfor controlling the supply of current to the motor to cause it to raiseand lower, the attachment means and article, electrical means foractuating the switch, said means being connected to another pair ofdistributing elements, a supply of current, and program means forconnecting the distributing elements to thecurrent supply in a desiredsequence. V

6. An apparatus for handling articles to be treated which comprises atrack, a hoist movable along the track and provided with means forattachment to an article, a motor on the hoist operable to raise andlower the attachment means and article, a rotary current distributingdevice disposed adjacent the track, connections between the motorterminals and the distributing device, a

reversing switch in the connections, electrical means for actuating theswitch, said means being connected to the distributing device, a currentsupply connected to the distributing device, and program means forcontrolling the supply of current through the distributing device to theswitch actuating means.

'7. An apparatus for handling articles to be treated which comprises anendless traclga hoist movable along the track and provided with meansfor attachment to an article, a motor on the hoist operable to cause,the hoist to raise and lower the attachment means and article, a currentdistributing device disposed centrally of the track, connections betweenthe motor terminals and the the motor terminals and the distributingdevice,"a

reversing switch in the connections, electrical means for actuating theswitch,-said means being connected to the distributing device,'a pair oftraveling elements moving along the track with different motions,electrical means for connecting the hoist selectively to the individualelements to travel therewith, connections: between the distributingdevice and connecting meansa current supply connected to thedistributing device, and program means for'controlling the flow ofcurrent through the device to the switch actuating 'and connectingmeans. I

9. An apparatus for handling articles to" be treated which comprises atrack, a motor driven hoist movable along ithe'track" and provided withmeans for attachment toa'n article, the motor being operable to raiseand lower the attachment means and article; a current distributingdevice disposed adjacent the track, connections between the motorterminals and the distributing device, a reversing switch inthe"'connections, electrical means for actuating theswitch,*said.'means-being connected to the distributing" device, -atraveling element moving along thetrack; electrical means for connectingthe'hoist to thetraveling element to travel'therewith, connectionsbetween said connectingmeans and distributing device, a 'current supplyconnected to the distributing device, and program means for controllingthe supply of current through the distributing 'device'to the switchactuatini-iimeans. 1 I '1 10. An apparatus for handling articlessto'betreated which comprises an endless track, amotor driven hoist movablealong the track and: provided with means for attachment"to'an'article,the motor being operabl to cause the hoist to raise and lower theattachment means anda'rticle, a current distributing device disposedcentrally of the track and provided withslip rings'and contacts movablearound the rings, connections'between respective oont'acts andther'notorterminals, a reversing switch in the connections, electricalmeans for'actuating the switch, connections between the electrical.means an'dother contacts,

a current supply connected to the slip rings, and

current distributing device disposed centrally of thetrack and providedwith slip rings and contacts movable around the rings,connections-between respective contacts and the motor terminals, areversing switch in the connections, electrical-meansfor actuatingtheswitch, connections between the, electrical means and other contacts,a traveling element moving along the track, electrical means on thehoist for connecting it to the element to move therewith, connectionsbetween said means and other contacts, a current supply connected to theslip rings, and

a program device for controlling the flow of current to the slip ringsto cause the switch actuating and electrical connecting means to operatein a selected sequence.

12. In apparatus for handling articles, the combination of a track, ahoist movable along the track and comprising a motor driving a sprocketwheel, a chain trained about the sprocket wheel, means on the chain forattachment to an article, a reversing switch for controlling currentflow to the motor to cause it to raise or lower the chain and thearticle carried thereby, and a pair of solenoids for operating theswitch, a traveling element moving along the track, and electricallyoperated means on the hoist-forconnecting it to the traveling element totravel therewith along the track. 7

13. An apparatus for handling articles to be treated which comprises atrack, a hoist movable along the track and provided with means forattachment to an article, a motor on the hoist operable to cause it toraise and lower the article, an element traveling along the track, meanson the hoist for connecting it to the element to travel therewith, andremotely controllable means for 3o controlling the operation of themotor and of the connecting means.

14. An apparatus for handling articles to be treated which comprises atrack, a hoist movable along the track and provided with means forattachment to an article, a motor on the hoist 0perable to cause it toraise and lower the article, electrically operated means on the hoistfo-i controlling the action of the motor, an element traveling along thetrack, electrically operated means on the hoist for connecting it to theelement to travel therewith, and means remote from the hoist forcontrolling the operation of the motor control means and the connectingmeans.

15. An apparatus for handling articles to be treated which comprises atrack, a hoist movable along the track and provided with means forattachment to an article, a motor on the hoist operable to drive thehoist to raise or lower the article attached thereto, a rotary currentdistributing device remote from'the hoist for supplyv

